Guyatone FR-3000V Tube Drive Reverb unit

dp

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
United States

Posted on Mar 28 2006 06:20 PM

image

Does anyone here have any experience with the Guyatone Reverb Unit?

Do you like it?

Any notable good or bad features?

thanks for any input you may offer.

-dp

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SurfBandBill

Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1487
San Francisco
1 News Pin

Posted on Mar 28 2006 06:43 PM

Guess I'll be the first to jump on this...

The Nebulas use them, I never had. I hear they're pretty damn drippy, though.

There was a lot of chatter about them on the yahoo group not too terribly long ago.

~Bill~

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bigtikidude

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 25569
Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.
United States

Posted on Mar 29 2006 12:27 AM

If I ever got one of those, I'd swap it's chassy so fast your head would spin.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

—

Jeff(bigtikidude)

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SurfBandBill

Joined: Mar 15, 2006
Posts: 1487
San Francisco
1 News Pin

Posted on Mar 29 2006 12:55 AM

I agree, those damn things are pug-fugly. I think the best fixes are to either stash them BEHIND the amp, or just cover them with stickers from all the cool bands you know to the point where no one can recognize the cosmetics.

~B~

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WR

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3832
netherlands
2 Link Pins

Posted on Mar 29 2006 03:32 AM

according to the nebulas, they are fantastic.

I just finished a Weber kit - very satisfied. I weighed all the options available, the guyatone, a fender RI, (yet another) cosmoverb, the weber kit ... the weber kit was the best and cheapest option in my particular case, since i had the stuff to build my own cab lying around anyway (leftovers from speakercab projects) and a box of materials gets by customs easier and cheaper than an instrument. (actually, it went by customs unchecked, and I paid zilch!)

had I lived in the US, I might have gone for the guyatone.

but, here's a thought, according to the forums I checked - i did quite some ressearch before buying - the problem lies in quality consistance and availabilty of critical components... appearantly the newly built accutronics tanks simply don't sound too good, and are very inconsistent in any case - the tank that came with my weber kit is a good (bad) example. (I had another one lying around, which went in) only a company that asks high prices and puts out small numbers can order a batch and handselect the good ones. It's what boutique fuzz builders do with germanium transistors e.g. and it's why the new arbiter fuzzfaces get put down a lot - inconsistency. I don't know whether guyatone is doing that, but I'd like to know before buying one, because if they are not, the nebulas' great sounding tanks might not be representative for the lot - as with the Fender RI.
of course, you do get better tubes with the guyatone, that's a first saving.

redecorating the guyatone doesn't seem worth the cost and effort to me - put it offstage, or get the matching JCM900 If you really want to though, you could use the cosmoverb's trick: two plates of perspex with a high quality print in between. basically, you could design your own custom front panel.

http://www.valvoletamburi.net/cosmoverb.htm

(sorry, the image tags don't work on this one, and it's the only pic I can find thru google)

WR

—

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Mar 29 2006 08:34 AM

I like that cosmoverb. I wish I could play it with my set up.

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WR

Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 3832
netherlands
2 Link Pins

Posted on Mar 29 2006 08:42 AM

JakeDobner
I like that cosmoverb. I wish I could play it with my set up.

I'll do soundsamples in the near future - I was fooling around with it yesterday, mainly to record some tremoloo samples for the other thread, but I was missing a particular cable and got fed up with it. I 'll try soon.

fwiw, I know think the weber kit is a better choice - couldn't have built it back when I bought the cosmoverb tho.

WR

—

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

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MikeG

Joined: Mar 29, 2006
Posts: 309
Springfield, Oregon

Posted on Mar 29 2006 01:24 PM

I hear ya' about how a lot of the newer tanks sound lousy.

I'm not sure what the problem is exactly, but I've had interesting results swapping out the springs in my Musicman "sixty-five" amp's internal reverb with different combinations of older ones.
I've also experimented with deliberate mis-matching of the transformers, and treating the compliant material with Armor-all, both with varying results.
I suppose my point is that you can change the sound of a tank a LOT, just not real predictably.

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unlunf

Joined: Feb 28, 2006
Posts: 106
The Vatican

Posted on Mar 29 2006 11:52 PM

Mike,

It is indeed that mis-match of tubes and transformers that can lead to serendipity when searching for the Ultimate Tone.

I'd just like to say, for those of you contemplating these kinds of things, but are afraid of what might happen, don't worry. The worst you can do is hurt the sound, but electrically, you won't harm a thing. But as usual, you can freely ask here (or elsewhere on this forum), and there are several experienced and knowledgable folks will tell you if you're about to commit EHK (electronic hari-kari).

unlunf

—

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dp Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 3546 mojave desert, california	Posted on Mar 28 2006 06:20 PM image Does anyone here have any experience with the Guyatone Reverb Unit? Do you like it? Any notable good or bad features? thanks for any input you may offer. -dp Top
SurfBandBill Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1487 San Francisco	Posted on Mar 28 2006 06:43 PM Guess I'll be the first to jump on this... The Nebulas use them, I never had. I hear they're pretty damn drippy, though. There was a lot of chatter about them on the yahoo group not too terribly long ago. ~Bill~ Top
bigtikidude Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 25569 Anaheim(So.Cal.)U.S.A.	Posted on Mar 29 2006 12:27 AM If I ever got one of those, I'd swap it's chassy so fast your head would spin. Jeff(bigtikidude) — Jeff(bigtikidude) Top
SurfBandBill Joined: Mar 15, 2006 Posts: 1487 San Francisco	Posted on Mar 29 2006 12:55 AM I agree, those damn things are pug-fugly. I think the best fixes are to either stash them BEHIND the amp, or just cover them with stickers from all the cool bands you know to the point where no one can recognize the cosmetics. ~B~ Top
WR Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands	Posted on Mar 29 2006 03:32 AM according to the nebulas, they are fantastic. I just finished a Weber kit - very satisfied. I weighed all the options available, the guyatone, a fender RI, (yet another) cosmoverb, the weber kit ... the weber kit was the best and cheapest option in my particular case, since i had the stuff to build my own cab lying around anyway (leftovers from speakercab projects) and a box of materials gets by customs easier and cheaper than an instrument. (actually, it went by customs unchecked, and I paid zilch!) had I lived in the US, I might have gone for the guyatone. but, here's a thought, according to the forums I checked - i did quite some ressearch before buying - the problem lies in quality consistance and availabilty of critical components... appearantly the newly built accutronics tanks simply don't sound too good, and are very inconsistent in any case - the tank that came with my weber kit is a good (bad) example. (I had another one lying around, which went in) only a company that asks high prices and puts out small numbers can order a batch and handselect the good ones. It's what boutique fuzz builders do with germanium transistors e.g. and it's why the new arbiter fuzzfaces get put down a lot - inconsistency. I don't know whether guyatone is doing that, but I'd like to know before buying one, because if they are not, the nebulas' great sounding tanks might not be representative for the lot - as with the Fender RI. of course, you do get better tubes with the guyatone, that's a first saving. redecorating the guyatone doesn't seem worth the cost and effort to me - put it offstage, or get the matching JCM900 If you really want to though, you could use the cosmoverb's trick: two plates of perspex with a high quality print in between. basically, you could design your own custom front panel. http://www.valvoletamburi.net/cosmoverb.htm (sorry, the image tags don't work on this one, and it's the only pic I can find thru google) WR — Rules to live by #314: "When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is." https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/ Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Mar 29 2006 08:34 AM I like that cosmoverb. I wish I could play it with my set up. Top
WR Joined: Feb 27, 2006 Posts: 3832 netherlands	Posted on Mar 29 2006 08:42 AM JakeDobner I like that cosmoverb. I wish I could play it with my set up. I'll do soundsamples in the near future - I was fooling around with it yesterday, mainly to record some tremoloo samples for the other thread, but I was missing a particular cable and got fed up with it. I 'll try soon. fwiw, I know think the weber kit is a better choice - couldn't have built it back when I bought the cosmoverb tho. WR — Rules to live by #314: "When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is." https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/ Top
MikeG Joined: Mar 29, 2006 Posts: 309 Springfield, Oregon	Posted on Mar 29 2006 01:24 PM I hear ya' about how a lot of the newer tanks sound lousy. I'm not sure what the problem is exactly, but I've had interesting results swapping out the springs in my Musicman "sixty-five" amp's internal reverb with different combinations of older ones. I've also experimented with deliberate mis-matching of the transformers, and treating the compliant material with Armor-all, both with varying results. I suppose my point is that you can change the sound of a tank a LOT, just not real predictably. Top
unlunf Joined: Feb 28, 2006 Posts: 106 The Vatican	Posted on Mar 29 2006 11:52 PM Mike, It is indeed that mis-match of tubes and transformers that can lead to serendipity when searching for the Ultimate Tone. I'd just like to say, for those of you contemplating these kinds of things, but are afraid of what might happen, don't worry. The worst you can do is hurt the sound, but electrically, you won't harm a thing. But as usual, you can freely ask here (or elsewhere on this forum), and there are several experienced and knowledgable folks will tell you if you're about to commit EHK (electronic hari-kari). unlunf — MY RIGHT HAND IS FASTER THAN YOURS! (copyright 2003, Bruce Welch) Top

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Guyatone FR-3000V Tube Drive Reverb unit